Chapter 1180: Prosperity of the Prince (Combined)

"The Marquis of Baron Xingyi's Treasure Ship of Creation was bestowed personally by the Holy Emperor. It is an honor for Cangzhou that it passes through our lands while traveling south under imperial decree. Prefect Deng will also come forward to host a banquet for the Marquis. Do not lose face for the people of Cangzhou when the time comes. Lixuan, why are you dozing off again? Did you not sleep well last night? Everyone, keep your spirits up! Don't embarrass yourselves!"

"Understood."

"No energy! I can't hear you! I can't hear you at all! With such a weak voice, you want to board the Marquis of Baron Xingyi's ship? Say it again."

"Understood!"

"Good, that's the spirit!" The clan leader nodded in satisfaction and walked away with his hands behind his back. "The Marquis of Baron Xingyi has been granted thirteen ports, most of which are fishing villages being converted into harbors."

"However, do not underestimate these fishing villages. The population behind them is not small, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt. They are in dire need of talent for construction. This is an opportunity—an opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step. A third-rank official at the prime minister's gate, a Hunting Tiger master under the Heavenly Dragon's door."

"The Marquis of Marquis Weining of the past, now the Prince of Xu Yue, recruited people all the way from north to south, creating quite a stir. As his student, the Marquis of Baron Xingyi will likely follow suit and leave behind a fine legacy. He will test your will and spirit. Over these three months, have you all diligently practiced the scripture-recitation techniques prepared for you?"

"Rest assured, Clan Leader! Our practice is proficient! We are improving day by day!"

"Good!"

Reeds grew thick on both banks, their flowers in full bloom, white fluff drifting through the air. Cangzhou was the gateway to the Imperial Capital, and the major clans that had taken root here had their own channels of information. They led their clan's outstanding youths to the docks early, following the Prefect to welcome the royal throne.

The relationship between the Marquis of Baron Xingyi and the Prince of Xu Yue was no secret, and his early deeds had long been spread abroad. When he was still in humble beginnings, he had produced a Peerless Jade Token. Faced with the Prince's recruitment, the Marquis of Baron Xingyi would neither take him as a master nor acknowledge him as kin. Even the Prince of Xu Yue was helpless and could only accept him as a nominal disciple.

Knowing this connection, they naturally had to make good use of it.

Just like before the imperial examinations, candidates would scour for "Cheng Mo"—the model essays written by provincial or metropolitan examiners, or the articles of successful candidates—first to fathom the examiners' minds, then to write their own essays, achieving twice the result with half the effort.

In the fourth month, the Marquis of Baron Xingyi knocked open the Heavenly Pass. The "Mountains" all knew of it. The well-informed major clans had begun preparations as early as the fifth month; the late ones started in the sixth. They had spent nearly half a year, from the third month, specifically having their clan's youths temper their spirit and will, hoping they would astonish everyone and secure a silver or gold medal.

The river wind blew vast and mighty.

It was the ninth month, the beginning of autumn, yet the heat remained stifling.

Amidst the bored, sweaty waiting, the royal banner with the character "Huai" broke through the river mist, approaching majestically.

"It's here!"

Everyone's spirits lifted, and they straightened their backs.

They watched as the Prefect of Cangzhou boarded a small boat, sailing toward the treasure ship to invite the royal throne to rest.

Necks twisted from right to left.

They then watched as the royal throne did not stop, passing by the Cangzhou port and continuing south, sailing away majestically.

"Why didn't the treasure ship drop anchor? Why didn't it slow down? Who is the ship captain? How are they sailing?"

"Are they not docking?"

"They're gone! They really left."

"Gone? Who's gone? Where to?"

"The treasure ship has left! Clan Leader, the Marquis of Baron Xingyi, ah, no, the Prince of Huai has left!"

"Ah?"

Everyone stood stunned in place, realizing that Liang Qu truly had no intention of stopping or docking, and they immediately panicked.

This was not what they had imagined.

What about astonishing everyone?

The small boat returned to the dock, and the Prefect of Cangzhou returned dejectedly. "Prefect Deng, what happened? Why didn't the Prince of Huai stay? Did we in Cangzhou offend the Prince of Huai somewhere? Was the hospitality lacking?"

"That must be it! The Prince of Huai must still be holding a grudge over the attack in Cangzhou back then! Alas, it's all the Ghost Mother Sect's fault!"

"Don't guess wildly." Prefect Deng Deng Yingshen waved his hand. "The Prince of Huai doesn't have such a petty temperament. The assassination in Cangzhou back then was an accident; how could he blame us? On this trip south, the Prince of Huai does not intend to recruit people. It is not a deliberate slight against us in Cangzhou. I met the Prince of Huai's master, Grandmaster Yang. Master Yang said that if we have the heart, we can go to Jianghuai ourselves to seek a future."

"This..."

The clan leaders felt dizzy, the world spinning around them.

Seeking a future on one's own was completely different from being recruited along the way.

It wasn't just a matter of guessing the wrong topic; they hadn't even taken the exam.

"I said it before, the Marquis of Baron Xingyi's master is the head of the Huaiyin Martial Hall, the number one martial hall in the world. Why would he need us?"

"You idiot, hindsight is 20/20."

"You motherf—!"

"Alas, let's sleep."

Before the sky had fully brightened, the clan members were deeply disappointed. They turned around and dispersed, heading back to catch up on their sleep.

In the reed marshes, a few young people stared intently at the treasure ship until it disappeared from view, a strong sense of unwillingness welling up. They had already been suppressed within their families; why... "Let's go."

Their shoulders slumped, as if their spirit had been drained, just like the reeds that turned white after autumn arrived.

The treasure ship cleaved through the waves. Yang Yang Dongxiong returned to his room. Xu Xu Zishuai squatted on the railing, brushing his teeth while watching the fun, holding a water cup, spitting out the tooth powder, and flicking a towel.

"Haha, all that preparation for nothing. Let's eat, let's eat. Ship captain, is there breakfast?"

Datakai wiggled its buttocks, ignoring him, and continued to sleep.

"Knock, knock."

"Sister Long Eying, Elder, are you awake? Do you want breakfast?"

At the sound of the knocking, the blurred vision refocused and cleared. Feeling the sweat and stickiness on her body, Long Long Eying steadied her breathing, twisted her shoulders, and leaned against the headboard. She called for Long Yao and Long Li to come in, then turned her head to find Liang Qu missing. She held her forehead, remembering that he had hugged her before heading to the practice room.

"Hey~"

Taking off their shoes and stepping onto the fluffy camel-hair rug, Long Yao and Long Li wrinkled their noses.

The torn shark-silk hung half-off the headboard, the box of snow-pig fat on the stool was completely empty, and the air was filled with a cloying, sweet scent. The floor was a mess; there was no need to look to know the bedding would need washing again.

"What's with the 'yuck'?"

"Just yuck, just yuck!"

"Yuck, bleh, bleh, bleh."

One opened the window, the other tidied the bed, sticking out their tongues and making faces.

"Asking for a beating."

Long Long Eying laughed, reaching out to pinch Long Yao and Long Li's cheeks and shake their heads. Dismissed by the two girls, she draped the Dragon Dragon Lingxiao over her shoulders and walked barefoot to the corner of the bedroom.

Sure enough, he was practicing.

Knowing he had left the door ajar so as not to worry her, Long Long Eying gently closed the small door.

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Ape Great Sage (Orange) (Fusion: 99.5%) ↑】

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Ape Great Sage (Orange) (Fusion: 99.6%) ↑】

"Hoo—"

"Haa—"

Inside the sun-and-moon radiance practice room, air currents swirled.

Liang Qu sat cross-legged, receiving the baptism of light. Behind him, a white ape phantom emerged—golden eyes, snowy teeth, every strand of fur fine, vivid, and elegant. After an unknown amount of time, the phantom completely overlapped with him, his whole body glowing brightly, lustrous as jade.

A hot current surged from his spine, spreading throughout his body.

The Qi sea within his body surged and expanded.

Perfected Form entering Heavenly Dragon, the Qi sea no longer had limits, known as the Boundless Sea.

However, before a normal Perfected Form breaks through, if they practice to the limit without breaking the limit, eating more elixirs is mostly a waste.

Liang Qu was different.

Ze Ling was a constant water-level difference, and the River Lord's favor was the channel within that difference. Even though his Perfected Form had reached the limit of 23,000 and stopped rising, the excess part had not disappeared. Instead, it accompanied the opening of the Heavenly Pass, turning into the Boundless Sea, continuously filling and feeding back! Now, in this final one percent, it all surged out together!

When ascending to Heavenly Dragon, the 23,000 Qi sea transformed into a 23,000-unit Root Sea that could leverage the heavens and earth.

Now, 24,000, 25,000, 26,000—it continued to rise rapidly, and the connection with heaven and earth became increasingly tight!

A normal Heavenly Dragon's year of bitter practice was nothing more than the feedback Liang Qu received in a few breaths!

Every pore was breathing wantonly, every cell was growing robustly.

The Boundless Sea fed back to the Dragon Court Immortal Island, causing the Immortal Island to tower and expand infinitely, manifesting a phantom world that shrouded the Treasure Ship of Creation!

Thick water vapor rose in the room, dispersing like clouds and mist.

The waves beneath the Treasure Ship of Creation spread slowly to both sides, without a ripple, as if walking on flat ground.

"Holy crap, what's going on!?"

Xu Xu Zishuai was startled.

He had just come to the kitchen to gnaw on a bun. Why were there clouds and mist all around, and why had the wooden floor turned into white jade bricks? Where had he been taken? And there was such an abundant spiritual energy—was this still A-Shui's ship?

Had someone ascended to immortality in broad daylight and taken him along?

"Martial Saint phantom!" Su Guishan stepped out of his room, dumbfounded.

"Martial Saint phantom?" Xu Xu Zishuai followed the sound, sharing his red-oil meat bun. "Old Uncle, tell me about it?"

Su Guishan explained: "Normal cultivation—Galloping Horse nine apertures, Wolf Smoke twenty-eight meridians, Hunting Tiger establishing pavilions—is a gradual practice from points to lines to planes. Entering Perfected Form is establishing a Heavenly Palace, a major transformation. Heavenly Dragon is a step further, but it's not just within the body; it extends outside!"

"Outside the body?"

"Yes. The so-called knocking open the Heavenly Pass is breaking the internal limit, breaking the circle, and communicating from within the body to heaven and earth. The stronger the Heavenly Dragon, the stronger the influence."

"Upon reaching a profound realm, one can project the Heavenly Palace completely and freely. If the realm isn't high, it might just be a node, such as condensing a new divine ability, which will then trigger spiritual energy." Su Guishan found it inconceivable.

How long had Liang Qu been ascending? Had he condensed another divine ability on the way back?

Xu Xu Zishuai looked at the clouds and mist beneath his feet, which looked real but felt like nothing when touched. He suddenly realized: "So this is the phantom projected by A-Shui's internal Heavenly Palace?"

"Yes! This kind of phantom is actually the same as the Immortal Island in the Clouds on the Jianghuai Great Marsh. Both will trigger heaven and earth spiritual energy. Sensitive people can even rub it down as a 'Form'. Wolf Smoke and Hunting Tiger cultivators can also temper their True Gang!"

Lu Gang, Hu Qi, Ke Ko Wenbin, and others also arrived, feeling incredibly shocked.

The difference between Galloping Horse and Hunting Tiger, and Hunting Tiger and Heavenly Dragon, was two realms, but the gap between them was like heaven and earth. In the past, when the Jianghuai tide moved, the Three Dharma Departments, the River-Lake Office, the Dragon-men, and the Frog Tribe—a whole crowd of people and demons—had happily gone to observe the heaven and earth phenomenon. Now, it could even be triggered during a Heavenly Dragon's practice.

"Practice, practice!" Xu Xu Zishuai finished the bun in two bites, wiping the grease on his clothes. "Rub off a bit, rub off a bit."

The others reacted as well. Except for Yang Yang Dongxiong, Su Guishan, and Long Long Eying, most of the people on the ship were in the Wolf Smoke or Hunting Tiger realms, just right for tempering True Gang.

A row of meditation cushions appeared on the deck.

"Wait! Is this A-Shui's Heavenly Palace? Why does it feel so familiar?" Ke Ko Wenbin asked Xiang Fangsu.

Xiang Fangsu hesitated: "It doesn't really look like a Heavenly Palace. It looks a bit like—the Immortal Island in the Clouds?"

The phantom projection was incomplete, only a fraction, like the feet shyly revealed beneath a girl's skirt, appearing and disappearing.

The Jinglan Canal was vast and mighty, the immortal energy ethereal. The blurred Immortal Island appeared and disappeared, accompanying the treasure ship all the way south. Large ships passing on the river couldn't help but marvel, quickly recognizing the identity of the visitors.

"Heaven and earth phenomenon! A moving heaven and earth phenomenon!"

"The royal banner, it's the Prince of Huai's ship, the Prince of Huai's ship traveling south!"

"This is the Prince of Huai?"

"Quick, draw the spiritual energy into your body. This is the Prince of Huai's gift."

The Ze Ding shone brightly.

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Ape Great Sage (Orange) (Fusion: 100%)】

The radiance twisted.

The four characters "Water Ape Great Sage" in orange revealed a brilliant luster, turning into a dazzling bright orange.

【Ding Lord: Liang Qu】

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Ape Great Sage (Deep Orange)】

【Water Ze Essence: 121】

【Completely fused with Water Ape Great Sage, comprehended innate skill—Prosperity of the Prince】

【Completely fused with Water Ape Great Sage, comprehended innate skill—Spirit Descent】

【Ze Ling Promotion Conditions: Obtain 60 points of River Governance, 100 points of River Favor, and completely fuse with Ze Ling Water Ape Great Sage (Deep Orange).】

【Evaluation: A natural divine species, favored by heaven and earth, dominates a great marsh, summons wind and rain, all who see must bow.】

Consciousness sank.

Liang Qu passed through the ship's hull, through the keel, and fell into the great river, spreading continuously, as if merging with the great river, becoming a single drop of water within it.

【Fourth entry into the Huai River, the people are pious, River Favor +1.1002】

【Fifth entry into the Huai River...】

【Sixth entry into the Huai River...】

【Seventh...】

The radiance flickered continuously, as if it had been pent up for a long time, jumping out one after another!

"So much favor?"

The thought flashed and vanished.

He opened his eyes again.

Outside the window, the tide rose and fell, dots of faint light floating on the river surface.

He pushed open the window.

It was night, pitch black. The river wind blowing on his bare upper body felt somewhat chilly. Cultivation knows no time; he should have skipped a solar term, from early autumn to mid-autumn. He didn't know where the ship had sailed to.

He looked out at the other "mountaintops."

After ascending to Heavenly Dragon, Liang Qu felt this move was excellent. In the past, when going out, he mostly followed the rivers, which seemed easy and convenient, but without a compass, identifying directions and finding places was still a big problem. He could perceive the "stones in the river," especially individual demon kings and sealed kings who didn't like to move, who were like positioning stakes.

"Hmm?"

"Almost at Jianghuai?"

The distribution of "stones in the river" ahead was very familiar—many and uniform. It was the Jianghuai Great Marsh, and there was one more in the marsh. Looking at the other mountaintops and seeing which place was missing one, Liang Qu immediately knew who had come.

Sea Hai Fangzhu!

The distance was very close, less than a hundred miles. Liang Qu immediately gathered his thoughts and looked within himself.

Root Sea 35.

Unlike Su Guishan's imagination, he hadn't constructed a second Heavenly Dragon divine ability. Or rather, after the Dragon-Tiger Golden Body derived to the stage of "pointing to the ground to turn it into steel," the difficulty of the third stage, "Sealing Heaven and Locking Earth," had risen by several grades. Being able to trigger spiritual energy was entirely the result of the Root Sea's surge.

There was no qualitative difference between 99% and 100% fusion. Instead, the Ze Ling's backflow helped the Root Sea, and the strength increase was even greater, which was a pleasant surprise, but not the main event.

A touch of anticipation welled up in Liang Qu's heart.

Communicating with the Ze Ding, a bright orange flash occurred.

【Ding Lord: Liang Qu】

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Ape Great Sage (Deep Orange)】

【Ze Ling Favor: Martial Dao Divine Penetration 6th Layer; Ying Dragon Pattern: 6th Layer; Tian Wu Yu Pattern: 2nd Layer】

【Innate Skills: Water Rhyme, Overturning Rivers and Seas, Divine Might, Driving Water Disease, Summoning Wind and Rain and Fog, Suppressing Wind and Stopping Rain and Fog, Driving Rivers, Stealth,】

【Spirit Transformation, Vortex Blade, Vortex Armor, Turbulent Flow, Blood Rain, Blood River, Dark Tide, Water Dragon Lock, Water Thorn, Prosperity of the Prince, Spirit Descent】

【Innate Divine Abilities: Water Travel for a Thousand Miles, Nether Sea Prison, Ze Kingdom, Pillar Supporting the Heavens, Water Dragon Piercing Clouds, Vortex Escape Path】

【Water Ze Essence: 121】

【Dragon Species Aura: 2】

【Dew Seed: 1】

【Heaven and Earth Long Qi: 1】

【River Governance: 0.6 (Favor: 64.8412)】

The fusion progress had disappeared, replaced by the change in the Ze Ling's color.

Good-looking.

Very good-looking.

Bright orange, looking high-end, atmospheric, and noble.

The result of a full 20 million essence.

Every year's mermaid tears, Great Marsh treasure fish, major merit exchanges, treasure plants and medicines...

The white water monkey, the cyan Ze, the purple water king ape, the orange water ape great sage, and now today's perfection.

A sense of nostalgia welled up in Liang Qu's heart.

What about the next step?

【Ze Ling Promotion Conditions: Obtain 60 points of River Governance, 100 points of River Favor, and completely fuse with Ze Ling Water Ape Great Sage (Deep Orange).】

As expected, the water monkey to Ze had required a thread of favor, satisfied in advance. Ze Prison to Water King Ape had required 5 points of favor, involving running around and participating in many sacrifices. Now, for the Water Ape Great Sage, the demand had surged.

"?"

Liang Qu pondered.

This exaggerated configuration looked extraordinary no matter how one looked at it. It wasn't far from the Huai River's status.

100 favor points wouldn't be difficult.

"The Water King Ape is favored by heaven and earth, and the fusion degree rose. In total, I obtained 50 points of favor. The rest—"

Counting the radiance, the favor from entering the Huai River had reached the 11th time, an increase of 8 times.

The first time was when he eliminated the snake demon in Xiangyi County and was invited into the Dragon King Temple. The second was when he controlled the floods in Xige Prefecture and had a temple built. The third was controlling the floods in Pingtan County.

Appearing so many all at once was likely due to the duel with the flood dragon at the beginning of the year, which led to the white ape being invited into water god temples in eight places, followed by a sudden explosion.

He still had thirteen ports under his command; he could honor whomever he wanted.

The key was that the number of 60 points of governance was a bit shocking.

One sacrifice could obtain an equivalent amount of favor in governance. 60 governance was equivalent to naturally obtaining 60 favor every year.

"Governance rose by 0.1, one point consumed for Ze Kingdom. After fighting the flood dragon, it was 0.5. It rose by 0.1 when traveling south?"

"Dew seeds can condense another spring/summer one, but there are no 3,000 Water Ze Essence."

"The remaining innate skill—Prosperity of the Prince."

"Husband?" A soft call from outside the door.

"Who are you? And whose husband are you calling? There is no husband for you here, only a monarch who cares about the people under his rule!"

"Great King~"

"Heh!" Liang Qu opened the door. Long Long Eying, holding the folded Dragon Dragon Lingxiao, came into view. He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "What is it, my beloved consort?"

"Seeing the Great King restraining his Qi, you must have succeeded in your practice, so I came to remind you. We have arrived in Jianghuai. Sea Hai Fangzhu is waiting in the distance, bringing many water beasts. There must be an urgent matter. Hurry and put on your clothes."

Liang Qu also realized that while he was pondering, Sea Hai Fangzhu was close at hand, and he was still bare-chested. He buried his head and sniffed the Dragon Dragon Lingxiao.

"Why is there my beloved consort's scent on it? Did you steal it to wear again?"

"Shameless, hurry up."

"Heh."

There was no time to experience the brand-new innate skill. Liang Qu grabbed the Dragon Dragon Lingxiao, draped it over his body, wove it into clothes, kissed his wife, and stepped out the window into the air.

Twenty or thirty miles, reached in an instant.

Sea Hai Fangzhu was floating half-submerged in the water, talking with Hai Yun. Behind them followed a large group of octopuses, salamanders, water spiders, and even—monkeys?

"Roar roar!"

Liang Qu looked in surprise at the golden-haired monkey king, who should have been on Shou Mountain, jumping around, climbing down the azure tentacles, and offering him melons and fruits: "Master Hai Fangzhu, what is this—"

Sea Hai Fangzhu sighed mournfully.

"Little Shui, Little Monkey and I have nowhere to go—" **Chapter 1181: Changing Heaven and Earth**